How to Get Rid of Ants in a Few Simple Steps

Last updated: December 14, 2013 at 20:31 pm By Natasha Anderson

Getting rid of ants can sometimes take a fairly long time and its rather hard to find a source of information that will show you exactly how to free yourself from these pests naturally. In this article, The Bug Squad has compiled only the best methods and tips that will help you kill ants for good. Ant control doesn’t need to be a hard task and this DIY guide will get you going in the right direction without incurring much cost.

I am going to break down this guide into four sections. The first section is about stopping a army of ants (ant deterrents) from invading your home, the second one will discuss actual removal methods, the third will elaborate on preventive measures (two steps) and the last one will outline various tips and warnings for effective ant control. Please make sure you follow each step correctly to ensure the fastest removal at the highest success rate. If you enjoy the article, please share it with your friends so they can also benefit from the information. Lets get started!

How to Deal With Ants in Your Home

The first thing to note is that a colony of ants are not usually the cause for disease and while you still might be afraid of them, the worst that they may do is give you a little bite that you will hardly feel (with the exception of fire ants). However, I completely understand that they can get rather annoying. I remember washing the dishes after moving into a new place and often seeing these little bugs running up and down the hairline cracks in the wall tiles. Personally, I always prefer natural remedies for any type of pest control and getting rid of ants was no different. Let’s take a quick look at where these little pests come from before we look at the removal process.

Contrary to popular belief, ants are not little creatures sent from outer space to terrorize children. Feel a bit better? Thought so Most of the time, they are just looking for food and want to just go about their business without being bothered. Ants can be found in a variety of places, ranging from offices to homes to even hospitals. I recently found a massive ant nest in my outdoor garden shed and had to apply the steps I’ve listed in this article to get rid of them. Here are a few places you can look for them:

Surfaces in your kitchen and bedrooms. If they are in the office, check your desks and look for any old lunchboxes that may have been left behind by the staff.

Inside and near electrical wall sockets.

Behind and around basins, taps and pipes.

Underneath furniture and behind picture frames.

Inside cracks in your walls, ceilings and other small areas.

Ant Colonies

Ants are also attracted to an area that offers suitable shelter and protection for their queen and their colony as a whole. According to studies, ants are also commonly found near sources of water, especially in dry regions around the world! Ants tend to gravitate towards anything sugary or sweet, so if you are fighting an ant invasion, it’s a good idea to look for any spilt sugar, soda drinks or even certain types of fruit juice.

Keeping that in mind, before we start any of the removal steps, I recommend taking some time to just clean up your house. Regardless of how small your house is, this is not a 5 minute job. Take the time to clean the entire place, under furniture, behind couches, under the fridge and any other place where they may be hiding or they will just keep on coming back. I always prefer to stick to long term solutions and when it comes to killing ants, you should as well otherwise you will be disappointed. Some ant remedies are deterrents while others are actually used to get rid of them. However, before we investigate those steps, let’s take a quick look at the different types of ants so we know what we are up against.

Identifying Different Types of Ants and Species

According to recent studies, there are over 20 000 species of ants worldwide and each colony can contain anything from 30 to a couple thousand ants. Each nest consists of the following ranks:

Fertile Ant Males – These ants (more than one) are responsible for impregnating Her Majesty the Queen ant. They are also called “Drones”.

Fertile Ant Female – This ant is the ruler of the nest. All the other ants actively protect, feed and serve her. She is also responsible for making eggs and thus is a critical part of the colony. She is often called the “Queen” ant.

Soldier Ants – These guys are the military for the nest. They protect and ensure that order is kept.

Worker Ants – These ants actively look for food and are responsible for building the nest and helping the colony.

Scout Ants – They look for suitable places to start or expand a colony and leave pheromone behind them for other ants to follow.

How to Get Rid of Ants

There are a number of species of ants and to fight them effectively, it’s important to know all the different types. Here is a list of the most common ones. Feel free to browse Wikipedia for more! The Fire ant (Solenopsis Invicta) are usually found in gardens or abandoned shelters and have a very painful bite. The Argentine ant (Linepithema Humile) are usually found outside in soil and anthills and can really mess up your lawn. The sugar ant (sometimes called pavement or house ants (Tetramorium Caespitum) are the most common and are often found in your home and in your living spaces. The Odorous house ant (Tapinoma Sessile) are usually found in soil mounds or near your geyser as they are attracted to the warmth.

The Pharaoh ant (Monomorium Pharaonis) are usually found inside cupboards, furniture and electrical wall sockets. Velvety tree ant (Liometopum Occidentale) can be found near rotten branches and broken trees. And lastly, carpenter ants (Camponotus Spp) are commonly found burrowing out pieces of wood, including your furniture and other parts of your house. To learn how to get rid of carpenter ants in your house, check out that guide as its a slightly different process due to where they live. However, to keep things simple, for the following steps we are going to look at a general approach on how to get rid of ants that usually works for most ant problems. Without further delay, let’s look at 5 steps that will get your house ant free as quick as possible.

Section 1: Preventing Ants From Getting in Your Home

It’s always important to be proactive in your approach to getting rid of ants. Firstly, most of the time, ants can be controlled simply by making it clear (using ant deterrents) that they are not wanted in your home. Additionally, ants serve a vital part of the ecosystem so I try and make an effort to prevent the infestation in the first place or make my house an unpleasant place to live for the ants before I start stomping on every little black insect I see. While it is still your decision, I highly recommend this course of action so please don’t skip this section as there are many added benefits.

Step 1: Seal up potential entry points that ants may be using.Step 2: Keep ants away by using a natural ant barriers to keep those ant invasions away!Step 3: Preventative measures for ants and information about your pets.

Step 1: Use fibrous materials to seal off any entrance in your home that ants could be using. This is usually done by using a caulking gun, as shown in the picture. This process has been around for a long time and effectively keeps bugs out and even keeps your heat in, which lowers your carbon footprint and reduces your electricity bill. Places that you should be targeting is cracks in the walls, floorboards, etc.

Step 2: Many people recommend using a mineral called “Talc” that comes from rocks that are processed and milled. While it does keep ants away, it is toxic and has properties that closely resemble asbestos, which is known to cause cancer (carcinogen) after prolonged exposure. However, please don’t panic. Notice I mentioned “prolonged exposure”. You will not get cancer by just touching the stuff but it’s definitely not recommended to use it over a long period of time. I find that a salt mixture is sufficient in most cases. Here are a few more natural remedies for ants:

Lavender, mint, chillies, cinnamon and eucalyptus (crushed)

Diatomaceous earth (this is great), camphor, vaseline and baby powder

Double sided adhesive tape, powdered chalk and charcoal

Flour, vinegar, cucumber slices, lemons and oranges

Step 3: Its time to clean up! Grab a mob and whatever cleaning utensils you can find and give everything a good scrub. Remember that those ants came into your home looking for food and its your job to ensure that there is nothing available for them to eat! Make sure that you look under the fridge (kids often kick fallen grapes, raisins, etc that fall from their hands, trust me I have seen it) and behind your rubbish bin. Its important to do this and will ensure that they don’t come back again.

NB: If you have pets and find that you always have ants around their bowl, place it inside a larger bowl and fill it with water. This create a moat which ants cannot cross and until they learn to swim, this is a very effective remedy. If you don’t want to do this, make sure you put your pet’s food away after they are finished eating.

Section 2: Start Getting Rid of Ants as Fast as Possible

Step 1: Suck those ants up!Step 2: Force a relocation of the colony or kill them on the spot!Step 3: Set up a homemade ant trapStep 4: Purchase ant fumigation or hire exterminators

Step 1: The easiest way to kill ants that are running around your home like rampaging orcs is to suck them up with a vacuum cleaner. Don’t worry, you don’t need those expensive gimmicky models that you see on TV, just a cheap one will work just as well. Proceed to stalk your house with it and attack any unsuspecting ants you see doing their daily errands. Depending on the size of your home, this may take about an hour. Perhaps take the opportunity to do some spring cleaning. Don’t say you will do it some other time, you know you won’t If you followed my first recommendation, you should have already cleaned the house fairly well and giving it a good vacuum will do wonders!

Step 2: Next, look for any ant trails that may be leading off to the nest. Follow this and try and figure out where their source is. If you find it, use a soapy mixture of dish washing liquid and hot water and flush them out. I have found that using a bleach mixture or an all-purpose cleaner also works wonders so perhaps give that a try as well. It’s also a good idea to pour about 10 liters of boiling water down the ant hill or nest (unless they are fire ants!) as this will kill them quickly.

Step 3: I have found that ant traps work fairly well as well. There are a number that you can purchase but I recommend making your own as this is the most affordable option. There are many different types but to keep things simple, the easiest and fastest method is to mix a decent amount of Boric acid with peanut butter in a metal pot and place it on a biscuit inside of a cardboard box. Close the box up, punch a number of holes into it and place it in a problem area. The Boric acid kills ants on contact, the peanut butter attracts them and the box makes disposal easy.

Another simple trap method is to use cornstarch to eliminate ants. Simply sprinkle it around areas that are infested with a colony of ants and wait for them to carry the corn starch off to their nest. Since ants have trouble digesting starch due to its high fibre content, they will eventually swell up and die. Although I find this method does take a little longer then others, its extremely effective and is a proven method for ant control.

NB: Please make sure that you keep your pets/children/curious partner away from the box as it is toxic and should not be ingested. Also, try and keep it off your fingers. It’s not going to cause instantaneous rigamortis or anything serious but it’s definitely not good for your skin. If you want to buy a trap, make sure that its ingredients are on the Organic Materials Review or the USDA-National Organic Program if you want to use it to get rid of ants safely.

Step 4: Lastly, but often a necessary step, its recommended that you hire some professional help. The easiest way to do it is to contact your local exterminator. If you are renting, it’s a good idea to give your landlord a call as it’s often their responsibility to fix up your ant problem, especially when it comes to caulking (read above for the explanation) and fixing cracks, etc. If you would like to ask any questions about these steps, please feel free to leave a comment below and I will personally answer it for you!

Section 3: Keep Ants Away by Being Proactive!

Step 1: They say prevention is the best cure and when it comes to ant control, this principle is no different. It’s the responsibility of your household to all do their part to help out. When food is eaten or prepared, take a little bit of time to clean up immediately and try your best not to leave it for the next day. Another common mistake is spilling a bit of soda or juice on the floor on your way to watch TV or something and forgetting to wipe it up because after a while, it seems to evaporate. Well the liquid may be gone but the sugar is not and this can easily cause an entire colony to set up camp! It’s also important to keep up regular mopping of the floor, sweeping up dirt, vacuuming regularly and wiping of counters and surfaces.

Step 2: A good proactive step to preventing ant infestations is to put a small lavender, mint or pot plant near your kitchen window and a few other places where you think ants could be sneaking in. Not only will this give your home an amazing aroma, it’s also a natural ant deterrent and will keep them away from your living areas. This doesn’t mean that you can ignore the previous step but at least it will minimize entry points for ants in your kitchen and home. A few of my friends have also had much success with using Vaseline on their window panes (usually outside). This also prevents ants from getting in so give that a try if you don’t have much success with the pot plant.

A Few Additional Tips for Effective Ant Control

Get Rid of These Ants

Make sure that you clean up around your house before starting to exterminate ants otherwise you will be fighting a losing battle.

While you fight the ant infestation, it’s always useful to utilize some ant deterrents to assist with the battle. (See information above)

A few sources have told me that Windex is a great option for killing ants. It seems that “Robert De Niro” was right about that spray in his movie, it really does cure or fix anything.

If you are determined to purchase an ant trap, try Terro ant traps as they work very well. If you need a more industrial strength option, try a granular ant bait that contains Niban. Just be careful however, as baits like Maxforce are highly toxic!

If you do set up my DIY ant trap or purchase one from the shop, don’t put any ant deterrents (listed above) near them otherwise ants will avoid the very place where you want to trap them!

If you see a queen ant, kill her to force that colony of ants to leave your home or garden.

A Few Warnings For Treating Ant Infestations

As previously mentioned, be careful with some ant poisons as they are fairly toxic. Keep these substances away from children and pets.

While most ants are not dangerous, I recommend staying away from fire ants as there are cases where people are allergic to their bites, not to mention that in comparison to other ants, their bites are rather painful!

When preparing your ant traps, it’s recommended that you wear gloves and to ensure you don’t inhale the fumes. My homemade trap isn’t highly toxic, but it’s definitely not for swallowing

In conclusion, getting rid of and killing ants is fairly easy when you know how. While it may take some time and effort, you can completely free yourself from ant problems without spending a large amount of money. The first step should always to stabilize the situation and prevent more ants from pouring into your home. Once that has been achieved, follow the steps in this article to eliminate them quickly before moving on to a more proactive stance, which stops these ants from coming back. Thank you for taking the time to read this article and I would appreciate it if you shared it with your friends. Not only will they benefit from the information but it will also assist with the popularity of this article. If you have any questions, please use the comment section below and I will try my best to get back to you within 24 hours. So what are your experiences with ant control and getting rid of them? Let me know your thoughts! P.S: If you are having any flea problems or are suffering with fruit fly infestations, be sure to check out these articles for effective solutions! Thanks

Video On Removing Ants

Natasha Anderson

Hi there! My name is Natasha and I would like to thank you for reading this guide. If you have any concerns or would like to ask a question about this article, I encourage you to leave a comment below and I will provide a reliable answer within about 24 hours. Remember, all this information is provided at absolutely no cost and if you have enjoyed what you have read, please show your appreciation by sharing this post on your favorite social network below. I look forward to helping you!

Please note that the contents of this guide is for informational purposes only. If you would like to receive professional advice to diagnose a pest control related problem, please contact your local exterminator immediately.

Comments

Sandy Ellissays:

October 24, 2012 at 11:02 am

I had a fairly bad red ant problem a couple days ago and I had an exterminator come around and get rid of them for me. Problem is that I was bitten a few times and I think my puppy may also have been bitten. Should I be worried? Thx

Hey Sandy! I presume that these were fire ants? Fire ants are quite a nasty pest and the venom can cause pretty bad swelling on some people. If the pain doesn’t subside in about 60 minutes after being bitten, you may want to go and see a heath care practitioner. By the time that you read this comment (I see you posted it 19 hours ago), if you are feeling slightly nauseous then definitely go seek medical help. For future reference, if you get bitten by a fire ant, firstly wash the area with soap and water and then apply a mix of baking soda and water on the area. This have been proven to give a fairly immediate relief to the pain and itchiness. Hope that helps!

Hey Natasha. I have ants all over my kitchen. They are crawling on my counters and dishes. This is where I serve and prepare my families foo. What I wanted to know is, Do ants poison or leave germs that can harm us?

Hey Shara! Sounds like you have a ton of ants that need removing However, there is no need to stress as ants as they are not poisonous and are very unlikely to leave germs. However, remember that ants sometimes feed on rotton food so its possible that the food they carry around might contain bacteria that could be a concern for health, especially since its in the kitchen. Regardless, I highly recommend getting rid of them by following the steps in this article. If you are still stuck or unsure, just shout and I will assist you personally!

Hi Natasha! I’m living here in Seattle and i was wondering if you could recommend me a professional ant exterminator or a website with the same services? We have ants attacking from all directions here at our house. I’ve made the trap you recommended and there’s still a bunch of them stealing our food. It’s like it’s an endless cycle of agony for my family here. This country house has been standing since decades and the ants may try to diminish the supporting foundations of this house. Is there a possibility that ants can chew their way through woods? I’m worried. Thanks for the help! I’ll be waiting for your reply! As for the moment, maybe i should replace my dog for an ant eater

Hey! I don’t actually live in Seattle so I cannot vouch for a service that I have used personally but you can do a quick Google search using your city name and the word “exterminator” and you should be able to find one – Good luck

Hey AJ! I never thought of doing that but it will definitely be a fantastic deterrent! I am actually going to try this out, specially if I notice a number of ants roaming my floors in the future. Thanks for the suggestion! One small addition, just make sure that you take steps to keep them off your counters and other areas of your home (besides the floor) and you keep those ants away for good

Is it true that you HAVE to hire an exterminator? Is it still possible to get rid of the ants (in section 2,part 4) the easy way? And I tried cinnamon and vinegar but the ants still keep on coming. Do you have any other common household deterrent? Also, I have carpet in the house, do these deterrents and tips and stuff still work, any other good tips? Thanks!

Hey Panda! No, thats not entirely true. If you follow the instructions in this guide, you can get relief from ants without hiring an exterminator. If you are finding that these ants are making their way into your home through open windows, etc. I highly recommend that your use lavender oil or the actual plants to keep them away. Of course, you will need to get rid of them once if they have already invaded (as shown in this article) but lavender works wonders at keeping them away.

Hey Sushilovr! Epic name by the way, I am a big fan of sushi myself, in fact I am craving some right now hehe Anyways, while it is possible its extremely unlikely so you don’t need to worry about that happening. If you are still a bit concerned, just pour a little borax powder into your vacuum bag and that will kill any insect that you suck up, ants included.

Hey Nitin! Ants can be frustrating, I have had to deal with them a couple times (fairly bad infestations) at my own place so I know how you feel. However, hopefully this guide has shown you a couple good ways to deal with ants in the most effective manner. Let me know if I can assist you in any way

GIGANTIC ant hill just found around 3 sides of the electrical box in the yard. Loads of deer, plus I have pets and do not like to use poisons in the environment. Can you help? I’ve been pouring bleach solution on them but this hill is HUGE. Please help….Annie

Hey Annie! Considering the size of the ant hill, I recommend that you use a terro ant bait. I know that you dont like using poisons but unless you want to get the ant hill removed professionally (they will probably also use some chemicals along the way), I recommend this solution. Using this trap, worker ants will eventually bring the poison to the queen and when she is dead, the colony will leave. Simply place them right next to the ant hill and this should happen in a week or so. Good luck!

Hello! Thank you for your post. I see about 10-15 sometimes more black ants crawling on my hardwood floor in the kitchen area and sometimes in the family room area as its attached to it. I have tried sprinkling cinnamon and black pepper mixture (freshly ground) but that does not help and they crawl right over it. I have even tried mopping my floor with vinegar and water mix but that does not help either. I can’t seem to find where they are coming from as they are spotted here and there in my kitchen family room area. I have tried really hard to look for entry points but can’t seem to find it. Sometimes they snuck up in the natural gaps of my hardwood floor planks. I know that they are not carpenter ants. Please tell me what can I do next to get rid of them? I am just shocked that they came in the first place as I always … Always use to (still do) vacuum and mop my floors everyday after dinner. I also kept my counters very clean. I am just so frustrated now. And I think I am driving myself and my family nuts. Any suggestions on what to do next? Is it time for ant trap? But I am so scared that this will encourage more ants than I see now and make my problem worse and out of control. Also, I am due in a month and really want to get rid of this problem naturally and before the baby comes. Any help is appreciated. Is it time for ant trap? Should I just suck it up and let them swarm in hoping they’ll die eventually instead of increasing in number? Sorry this is long but I really need some help and advice.

Hey Nina! Here is a great solution that I have been using to good effect recently (I should also emphasize it more in this article). Go and grab yourself some Diatomaceous earth and make sure its the food grade. Sprinkle this powder on your hardwood floors, twice a day and after leaving it there for a couple hours, vacuum it up and repeat for about a week. This substance is 100% safe and is not toxic in any way, plus its super cheap and accessible. I have highlighted it in a dedicated flea article but it will apply here so go ahead and take a look at it when you have time (just replace “fleas” with “ants” hehe).

Hey Nina! Yes, as long as you don’t consume it in any way and preferably wear gloves, you will be perfectly fine You may find the floor as a little less traction but while its nothing significant, please be careful Hope that helps, have a good one!

Alexsays:

September 21, 2013 at 4:05 am

I had ants in my microwave. So I put some Terro on some cardboard in the microwave and let them eat it all up. I did this for 2 days and then they were gone, but I found one method that has gotten rid of them for good. Drum roll…..PEPPERMINT OIL…I put a plastic measuring cup (one that I don’t use anymore) with water and peppermint oil in it and micro wave for 1 min after every time I micro wave food. I also put peppermint oil around the wall outlets. This interrupts their smell so they can’t smell any food. I have been FREE from ants in the kitchen!!! Plus it makes the house smell good. I hope this helps everyone like it did for me…Good Luck!

Natasha Andersonsays:

September 22, 2013 at 7:06 pm

Hey Alex! Thanks for sharing that tip, I will definitely pass it along to anyone who is experiencing something similar (I have a couple people in mind already). Have a good one!

please helpsays:

July 15, 2013 at 8:41 pm

I’m going to make a solution of boric acid and either honey or syrup for the ants I have living in the ceiling of my house. What proportions do you recommend? I’m also wondering what proportions you recommend for the peanut butter and boric acid trap. Thanks for all your help!

Heya! My recommendation is for every 2 teaspoons of your lure substance (honey, peanut butter, etc.), use half a spoon of boric acid. Please let me know how it works for you, either via email, my social networks or even here in the comments. Good luck!

Hey Andy! What problem are you having exactly? Have you tried the tips in this article? Would you like me to send you a few free exterminator quotes? Let me know, cya!

chris brookssays:

July 28, 2013 at 10:47 pm

Yes I’ve got a massive amount of ants they are every where under my carpet, inside my walls, under my trim on the floor I’ve even taken the trim completly off and caulked and a few days later they come through the caulk, I’ve even sprinkled black pepper down that does not work now I’ve got a part of the carpet folded back with a mess of pepper and terro in the middle what do I do do I vacuum up the pepper or leave it until there finished with the terro I don’t know what to do I’ve cleaned everything and they still come back I cannot find where on the outside they are coming in they are mainly coming up through the concrete going under the trim and showing themselves I don’t know how they have mad it in the walls in the middle of the house what do I do oh I forgot to mention I live in a downstairs apartment.

Hey Chris! I recommend that you give DE a try as its very effective against all kinds of ants. The best bit is that the powder can and will fall between any cracks in the walls, floors, etc. and will essential reach and kill any ants in these places. You can pick some of the stuff up for a minimal amount and its completely non-toxic. I do have an article about it and although I wrote it for flea control, check it out as you can use the same method for ants. Good luck!

We just finished building our house and here come the ants… My husband has been caulking under each floor molding he puts up and after several weeks of ant traps and other methods all the worker ants (some of them also had wings), have disappeared immediately after they stopped i started finding a larger ant with wings… 2-3 each night roaming my hallway. I think they are drone ants. I know they are not carpenter because the head is too small. I can’t figure out where they are coming from. They are too big for the ant traps and don’t seem to to be deterred by the other methods. Am I right about them being a drone ant and how besides killing them with my foot or the vacuum can I get them out of my house? They have been showing up for about a week and a half now.

Hey Molly! It sounds like they are drone ants and based on your description, I think it would be best to call an exterminator to sort this problem out for you. I would be more then happy to help you find one near you, just drop me a message and I will assist. Cheers!

Help! Found ants (size of a grain of sand) coming out from our floor molding. Have seen ants marching across our patio, A bit larger. Then proceeded to look further and our fence and house was covered with ants. The handle on our gate, you couldn’t even see because the mound of ants. Checked fence & house and covered with millions/trillions of ants marching. Of course, went to Lowes and bought massive ant killers. Terro, Raid, gel traps etc. Cashier mention that I was in a killer mode and concerned. lol Diligently, I check all areas and still find in our house. Some dead, some alive. Outside, I destroyed 2 nests. I’m concerned what kind of ants we are dealing with. Pharaoh, Argentina, wood, etc. Of course, did my research and their are differences. Ants have one or two nodes in between their bodies and we magnifying, they are so small I can not see the nodes. I have decided to go to our research center here in town. Any suggestions for this annoying problem? I’m a bit freaked out with this problem. I have relocated here to Georgia. Neighbor said, ” You live in Georgia. What do you expect? ” Mind you, we been here 6 years now and have not had this problem . Plus, the amount of ants is unbelievable. Thank you Molly

Hey Carolyn! If you could send me a pic, that would really help me help you But as a general approach, maybe try and find out what is attracting them and then use some of the methods in this article to keep them out. Are there any exterminators in your area that can help you with this process? It sounds like its a bit out of hand to use natural removal methods.

I hired exterminator recently and again last couple days ago they came n check. So today I check the cupboard which I’m confused why do red ants attract to my plastic plates? Even they re clean. I have clean and sweep and mop. Even all dishes are clean in cupboard. I found red ants crawl few underneath the plastic plates in cupboard I got furious! I don’t understand how red ants kept coming back to only plastic plates so I grab ten plastic plates are clean in the sink and rinse it with hot water. Tomorrow I will use vinger and water to mop the floor. I ll try put some Vaseline on window shelf . I still can’t find where red ants coming from. I feel like to leave clean plastic plates in dishwasher so ants wouldn’t come back

Hey Lisa! Those ants might be attracted to some sort of residue on those plates, even if there is not visible food on them. Did they come back after you hot washed them? Sorry about my delayed response, please let me know if I can help you further

Natasha…we have had a problem for the last two weeks. I hired an exterminator and he came once the first week and then again the second week…we do not see a load of ants at one time but a few on my counter…in my cabinets where my dishes are (clean of course) and now in my bathroom and my kids bathroom. Tried vinegar…did not work…Our bathroom is attached to our bedroom so needless to say I am skeeved out. Raid does not work the ant traps seem to be attracting them into rooms that do not have them…I am using lavender soap and water in a spray bottle feeling like a western…one spray here another there on the counter on the wall on the floor…I cannot take it anymore is there an end in sight…will the traps work? Wondering if I should invest in some peppermint oil and place it around the house…I am getting chills thinking about this….not happy I too am stressing my family out not to mention really making myself tense. I will not cook until this problem is solved…cannot take a shower without sharing it with one or two ants….do not want to get used to this…really do not know if I ever could….please help…

Hey Jennifer! The first step would be to figure out what is attracting them into your house. Secondly, yes the traps should work. If the ones you have at the moment are not doing the job, simply buy a different brand. It also helps placing the traps wherever you actually find the ants, not in rooms where there are none. Let me know how that goes

I have found what I think is the home of all my resident ants: inside the back of the refridgerator! Last night I sprayed a can of insect poison around my kitchen as well as into the area behind the metal sheet on the back of the ‘fridge. Masses of dead and live ants fell out of their home but when I moved the ‘fridge again today, there were a few ants under the fridge. can I spray something like lavender oil into the back of my ‘fridge? Please advise!

Hey Sue! I would rather suggest that you use an ant trap as I get a bit nervous when recommending direct spraying onto electrical appliances. Just put a couple of them at the back and it should be fine

I am finding these tiny, almost transparent ants on my counters, now finding them in my living room. Even crawling on me. I live in a brand new house in Florida. Do you know what type of ants these are? I am currently taking the diatomaceous earth ( food grade) and have a lot of it. Will this work in killing these ants?? And how exactly am I to apply it to counters, carpets and under the fridge? And how long do I leave it there? Also is it good as a barrier? Thank you

Hi, there I have had any problem for a few days I did the spring cleaning method sprayed a mint line to try a deture them. They were gone for a week found a new trail a couple of days ago. They literally seem to be coming out of my wall. Is there something different I need to do to make this stop?

I just found that BiolEan Bac-out destroyed most of the ants and their entrance into the house … sprayed some in the entrance cracks and hit the rest on the floor with it… 99 percent gone and immobilized in seconds. Weird.